Tail skid



Dec. 29, 1925- P. G. ZIMMERMANN TAIL SKID Original Filed August 17 3 Shetsheet 1 INVENTOR Dec. 29, 1925 P. G. ZIMMERMANN TAIL.SKID

Original Filed August 17 I 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

INVENTOR 7 TORA'E Y Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

PAUL G. ZIMMERMAN 'N, OF KEYPORT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AEROMARINEPLANE & MOTOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TAIL SKYID.

Application filed August 17, 1921, Serial No. 492,957. Renewed May 16,1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL G. ZiMMEn- MANN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Keyport. in the county of Monmouth and Stateof New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tail Skids.

. This invention relates to tail-skids for aeroplanes, and has for itsobject the provision of a tail skid, simple and inexpensive tomanufacture and having a great swinging radius, and at the same timepossessing great strength, durability and freedom from possible mishaps.

In theaceompanying drawings, forming a part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation showing the tailskid attached to the bodyframework of the plane, which is represented by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the pivotal anchor; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the anchor for the yieldingmember.

In the drawings the main members or longerons of the rear part of thelongitudinal body frame or fuselage of the plane are illustrated at 1,various compression members at 2, and the tension members at 3.

The skid proper, illustrated at 4, is of'the usual formation, and ispreferably constructed of wood provided with a metallic shoe 5,illustrated as being fastened by screws and bolts 6.

Secured to certain of the com ression members 2 of the rear part of therame of the aeroplane are downwardly converging vertical supports 7,preferably of seamless drawn tubing, which brace at their lowerextremities 8, at the bottom of the frame, a

, fixed horizontal cross member 9, which may be made of any suitableform or conformation, butisillust-rated in these drawings as a tubularpiece. Additional support for this cross member 9 is secured in brackets10 mounted on the bottom longerons l. The tail-skid 4 passes'over andbehind this member. Passing transversely through the center of saidmember 9, at an upward-andrearward and downward-and-forward inclination,is a short sleeve 11, which is welded thereto. Within said sleeve is thestem of an eye bolt 12, having washers 13 interposed between the eyeportion 14 of the bolt and a nut 15 which permits the eye and bolt andthe washers to have free rotative movement in the sleeve 11. Said sleeve11 thus form= a bearing for the fastening 12, which is free to swivelabout its axis on the cross-member 9. The eye 14 is at the upper end ofthe bolt, above, and somewhat to the rear of the cross member 9.

A U-bolt 16 inserted upward and rearward through the intermediateportion of the tail-skid proper, has its forward looped or eye endlinked with the eye 14, the tailskid being thus secured to the crossmember in a very strong manner by connections which are in tension inlanding and afford great flexibility, being capable of rocking in alldirections. A plate 17 having holes through which the limbs of theU-bolts pass and interposed between the front of the tailskid and theeye of the eye-bolt affords a bearing for the outer face of the latter,the plate being preferably provided with a curved seat 18 for the end ofthe eye. The distance between this bearing seat and the back of the loopof the U being approximately equal to the thickness of the eye of theeye-bolt, looseness is avoided. Nuts 21 on the rear ends of the limbs ofthe U-bolt, acting upon an interposed washer-plate 20 at the back of thetail-skid, secure the U-bolt in place. The form of the fulcrumfastenings 12 and 16 need not in all instances be precisely adhered to,but is especially advanta eous, for manifest reasons.

ecured to the upper end of the tail-skid 4 by means of bolts 22 is afitting 23 comprising collars 24 and 25 encircling the tailskid memberand connected to a round post or back portion 26 by means of spacingprojections 27 on the post, and the bolts 22, which pass through thecollars, skid, spacers and post, the post or back and the spacers beingin one piece and separate from the collars. The object of this fittingis to provide a suitable loop or clevis pro ecting for ward from theskid, through which to pass elastic holding and restraining members,including a cushioning elastic 28, which passes doubled between thespacers 27 and in front of the tail-skid inember,'its two halves thenceextending divcrgingly laterally, rearwardly and upwardly tolaterally-spaced sheaves 29 on a top cross member 30, about whichsheaves the ends of the elastic are looped.

The other member engaging the clevis 23 is an elastic rebound check,comprising an elastic loop 31 passing behind the post portion 26 andbetween the spacers 27 and stayed by a wire 32, which divergeslaterally, forwardly and upwardly to suitable anchorages on the frame.The cushion elastic and the rebound check together hold the tailskidyieldingly in its normal position.

What I claim as new is:

1. In an aeroplane, a fixed bottom cross member of a rear part of theframe of the aeroplane, a tail-skid member passing over and behind saidcross member, and tension connections flexibly fastening the taid-skidmember to the cross member for universal rocking movements.

2. In an aeroplane, a fixed bottom cross member of the rear of the frameof the aeroplane, a tail-skid member passing over and behind said crossmember, and link fastenings on the cross member and tail-skidmemberlinked, one into the other for general rocking movement.

3. In an aeroplane, a bottom cross member, a tail-skid member passingover and behind said cross member, an eye-bolt fastening on one of themembers and an engaging U-bolt fastening on the other member.

4. In an aeroplane, a bottom cross'member, a tail-skid member passingover and behind said cross member, an eye-bolt fastening swiveled insaid cross member, and an engaging U-bolt fastening in the tail-skidmember.

5. Ina tail-skid, a tail-skid member, a clevis on the upper end of saidmember and projecting forward therefrom, a cushionelastic passed throughthe clevis and about the tail-skid member, and a rebound check loopedthrough the projecting part of the clevis.

6. In a tail-skid having a tail-skid member, a clevis on the upper endof said member, comprising spaced collars encircling the same, a backand upper and lower spacer portions in a separate piece from thecollars, and bolts passed through the collars, tailskid members and thespacer portionsto secure the whole in place.

7. In a tail-skid, a tail-skid member, a clevis on the upper end of saidmember and projecting forward therefrom, a cushion elastic passedthrough said clevis and in front of the tail-skid member, its two halvesthence extending divergently laterally, rearwardly and upwardly, andlaterally spaced sheaves about which the ends of sald elastic arelooped.

PAUL G. ZIMISIERMANN.

